I feel awful for this guy. I hope he has a sense of humor and very understanding friends and family.
I think it would be AWESOME if the next President invites Joe the plumber and his family to Thanksgiving at the White House.

On my way home from the grocery store today I drove past a beauty salon. They had a hand written sign sitting on a tripod, in the rain, with the ink running, that said, "Special. 2 for 1." A buy one get one free at the beauty salon! AYKM? Don't just stop at Joe the Plumber. Call any number of small businesses -- they're all taking a beating.

"Joe the Plummer already said he wasn't impressed with Mr. Obama's tax proposals.
That should say enough."
Yea, it says Joe the Plumber is an idiot
(and if he's really netting over $250K after expenses & deductions he's whiny)

Joe is the real deal. I heard him interviewed on the radio today. Anybody who has a small business or wants to buy one IS Joe the Plumber. Obama's plan will kill our economy by punishing hard work and success.

Is this story true from the API? mrs. Obama laments that ( American white racists)bring up the issue.(about birth certificate) there is no law that will stop him from being president, even though he was adopted by a foreigner. I read this story in the api they say it is true and even list phone # to call. She is to smart for this or is she?

The fact the the debate centered around a third party that wasn't even there is lunacy.
Obama and McCain dueling it out for a plumber? What the hell is wrong with these two!
Seriously, if this is what we have a choice between I would choose neither. This is pure mediocrity and these men deserve to be ushered off the stage for this joke of a debate.
I feel sorry for America that we had to listen to this drivel. What has our nation become?

Can we find out from the many reporters that are out there to interview "Sam" the real "Joe" plumber that Joe's business he is planning, actually really is at the edge of 250,000 to $282,000 value? or whas is egging to find out what answer he could trick Obama with?
Of Course this is also another example how McCain is deceiving/pandering the American Joe Sixpack/Plumber how he really does not care what happens to all the middle class Joe's, Sam's and Mary's becaudse he would not even consider any tax break for them and ride a high horse to play down Obama. Such tactics to divert the real attention away from mcCain's inability to face real issues and facts are no longer working. Obama is a also a level or two above such petty tactics and clearly above the fray to offer the American middle class REAL CHANGE.
In addition to McCain's squabbles on earmarks: McCain is hammering so wildly out of control as if earmarks are going to make all the difference in deepening or resolving the overblown budgets or not, when in reality they only represent a little of 1%, which in the end, is not going to make any difference at all in solving the economical mess and chaos the republicans created since Reaganomics and trickled down economic principles, which clearly have done us under and the American economy at the tune of nationalizing the banking industry world-wide. Think about that for ONE minute or TWO! While the world is changing, all McCain is worried about is the wealthy, himself and trying to keep the number 0f
Instead John McCain calling himself not Mr. Bush, he has closer association with him and with the republican party than Ayers has to Obama. Such flagrant comparisons are skewed and not even worth the answer, which was how Obama responded during the debate clearly emphasized by the chuckles and head shaking McCain's allegation really were worthy of a reply! And that should have been Obama's missed moments! There were there just cool and subtle and above the fray! McCain's anger is unrestrained and still calls for an urgent anger-management class!
Do not forget that the republican McCains and Bushes have done us in and the American economy at a tune and the cost of changing the entire free market economy into nationalizing our banks and the banks world-wide! That will take YEARS to correct! What an inheritance!

Looks like the "Joe the plumber" story has fallen apart now that it's been revealed that he is a Republican with extreme rightwing views who would actually benefit from Obama's tax CUT plans. But some of the gullible "low information" voters who watched the debate will be none the wiser. The terminally gullible are McCain's only hope of winning the election.

The trouble with most people is that they open thier mouths when they know not of what they speak. Most small busnisses need to gross well over $250K yearly in order to bring home less than 50K. Our family resturant brought us 60K when grossing $300K, and 2 of us had to share it for 14 hrs work, 7 days a week. For every dime that does out of an elployees paycheck for SS or unemployment benes or state and fed income tax etc...we had to match it. A $6.00an hr. trainee dishwasher cost us over $11.00 per hour. Small businesses would die under Obamas plan. I hope he does not get elected, we have sold our business, but many others would suffer. The man has not got a clue...yet he loves to put on the DOG. Sorry folks, McCain is 100% correct on this one...many people would have to be let go because the small business owners could not pay the extra taxes and stay afloat. EXPERIENCE MATTERS!

As various authors have shown, and is confirmed in Section 2 below, there
was by no means a single ?socialist? model re-distribution of income, even
within the COMECON area on which we concentrate. Measured inequality
was much less in Czechoslovakia, for instance, than in Russia. The extent
and form of privileges for the nomenklatura elites varied markedly and
presented different degrees of difficulty for the statistician. These variations
tempted some commentators, who had focused on particular socialist states,
to conclude either that they were much more, or much less, equal than those
of Western Europe.

Forget the character attacks, however deserved or not. Let?s deal with the actual issue that was raised. Here?s a relevant excerpt from the conservative Wall Street Journal?s article of OCTOBER 17, 2008, 'As Joe the Plumber Grows Famous, the Politics Get Murkier':
"To reach a level that would be affected by Sen. Obama?s proposed tax increase, Mr. Smither said, a mom-and-pop plumbing company like Newell would have to clear $5 million in annual sales. Joe?s company actually reports only $100,000 in sales.
Even if Mr. Wurzelbacher reaped taxable income from his business of $280,000 a
year, he'd pay only about $900 more a year in taxes under Sen. Obama's plan, which
would raise the tax rate on the income between $250,000 and $280,000 to 36%
from 33%.
...
If Mr. Wurzelbacher earns the wages of a typical Ohio plumber, $40,600, and holds a $90,000 mortgage, he would see a TAX CUT (emphasis added) under Sen. Obama's plan of more than $1,000, compared with no tax reduction under Sen. McCain's.
If he succeeds in buying the plumbing business where he works, he could see even more tax benefits, including Sen. Obama's proposed elimination of capital-gains taxes for small-business investment, a 50% tax credit to purchase health insurance for employees and a $3,000 tax credit for every new hire over the next two years."
Other issues and ?things we wish were true? aside, better to acknowledge facts and deal with them objectively.